Saturday, April 2, 2011

I can never get tired of seeing amazing new orchid species and visiting orchid nurseries in Hawaii. Akatsukas in Volcano is an institution in East Hawaii. I regularly stop by when I'm up in the cooler areas of Volcano visiting friends or touring with some friends.

As you can see they specialize in the very showy cattleya orchids, which is very unusual for the cooler climates of Volcano. But since they are hardened in this cooler climate, the plants end up being hardier, resistant to pests and the flowers are even more intense in coloration and longer lasting.

I love this hot fuschia and red combination named Cattleya-Rlc. Teri Nardini Smigielski, isn't it just a beauty? The striped red and yellow throat just draws you in completely.

They also carry a variety of other orchid species like miltonias, this one a vivid red named Milt. Bert. Field 'Leash' is one of their best selling milts.

This un-named Phalaenopsis must be one of their newer hybrids since it was not tagged and did not have a sales tag. The exciting new color combination of pink and yellow with white edging makes it quite a show stopper - I have a feeling this will become a very popular orchid in their collections.

This orange yellow has a nice lite and sweet scent like perfumed jasmine.

Another on of their popular scented cattleyas called Cattleya-Pot. Mitsuo Akatsuka 'Volcano Queen', the scent was very strong when I visited in the morning time frame.

Great hybrids Noelle. Hawaii is really very famous not only in breeding anthuriums and hibiscus but catleyas, as well, and of course papaya, haha. I have some friends in UH Manoa and USDA Hilo. I wonder why i am not really so amazed at catleya, even if i acknowledge their size and beauty and scent. I even prefer that Miltonia if ever asked which i like to have!

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Aloha

Living in East Hawaii on the Big Island, I am amazed by the multitude of new plant genera that I've started to discover and become addicted to. Come and explore with me in finding new amazing plants, discover the variegated and colorful, rare specimens, developing my garden, garden design, learning about sustainability and just doing the naughty things that a plant fanatic typically won't do in public :)

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Writer, photographer, artist, food fanatic and wanderer,I love to visit and discover new places, exotic food and interesting people along my travels. I love to travel abroad and share new stories and images of my visits, food discoveries, culture/historic tours and trying something new and worth sharing. My photography and writing is a big part of the joy and creative process.
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